Fire safe fire pit

ABSTRACT

A fire safe fire pit device is disclosed. An example device includes a fire chamber. The example device also includes a lid movable between an open position and a closed position. The example device also includes a baffle configured to route smoke around edges of an upper surface while also retaining heat adjacent the upper surface.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims the priority benefit ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/685,294 filed Apr. 13, 2015 for“Fire Safe Camp Stove and Fire Pit,” of Michael V. Robb, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/470,916 filed May14, 2012 (issued U.S. Pat. No. 9,027,543 on May 12, 2015) for “Fire SafeCamp Stove and Fire Pit,” of Michael V. Robb, each hereby incorporatedby reference in its entirety as though fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

People enjoy cooking over an open fire, for example, when camping orpicnicking. People also enjoy sitting around an open fire and conversingor simply watching the flames outdoors. Of course, the fire may alsoprovide warmth especially in the cooler morning and evening hours. Theuse of open fires is not limited to use in the great outdoors at parksor campgrounds, and fire pits are commercially available that can beused at home in backyards and on patios.

Unfortunately, the increase in wildfires has led to more restrictions onopen fires. These restrictions are especially prevalent during times ofdrought, and may outright ban any uncontained fire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example fire safe camp stove and firepit device.

FIG. 2 is another perspective of the example device shown in FIG. 1,wherein a lid is shown in an open position to provide access to a firstcooking surface.

FIG. 3 is another perspective of the example device shown in FIG. 1,wherein an access door is shown in an open position to provide access toa fire chamber.

FIGS. 4a-b are (a) front plan and (b) side plan vies of the exampledevice shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A fire safe camp stove and/or fire pit is disclosed. Fire burningrestrictions include ordinances requiring developed campgrounds toprovide permanent fire pits with a covering grate. The fire safe campstove and/or fire pit disclosed herein complies with strict ordinancesin fire risk areas.

An example fire safe camp stove and fire pit device includes a firechamber, a first cooking surface directly over the fire chamber, and alid. The lid is movable between an open position and a closed position.The lid in the open position provides access to the first cookingsurface. In the closed position, the lid provides a second cookingsurface above the first cooking surface.

During use, firewood and/or other fuel (e.g., synthetic fire logs) maybe loaded inside the fire chamber through a front door access. A fire isignited, and the lid and front door can be closed for campfires, thuscompletely containing flames and eliminating the risk of wind blowingdebris and ash.

For cooking, the lid may be opened and food to be cooked (e.g.,hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, etc.) can be placed directly, and/or inpots, pans, or other cooking vessels, on the first cooking surface. Thelid may then be closed over the food, thus increasing heat on the firstcooking surface. When the lid is closed, other foods may be placed onthis second cooking surface for lower-heat cooking (e.g., warmingbread).

The fire safe camp stove and fire pit device dampens and eliminates 95%or more of sparks emitted from a fire burning in the fire chamber, andcompletely contains the flames. The flames are still visible from allsides, allowing the users to enjoy the ambiance of a campfire withoutthe risk of an open fire.

Before continuing, it is noted that as used herein, the terms “includes”and “including” mean, but is not limited to, “includes” or “including”and “includes at least” or “including at least.”

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example fire safe camp stove and firepit device 10. FIG. 2 is another perspective of the example device 10shown in FIG. 1, wherein the lid 12 is shown in the open position. FIG.3 is another perspective of the example device 10 shown in FIG. 1,wherein an access door 14 is shown in an open position.

The device 10 includes a fire chamber 16, and a lid 12 which can beopened and closed over a first cooking surface 20. As its name implies,fuel (e.g., firewood or other fuel source) may be added to the firechamber 16 (e.g., through access door 14). The first cooking surface 20is provided directly over the fire chamber 16, and thus experiences afair amount of heat generated by the fire burning in (and/or coalssmoldering in) the fire chamber 16.

During use, the lid 12 and access door 14 can be closed to contain theflames. This also reduces the risk of blowing debris and ash. But heatfrom the fire can still be felt by people standing or sitting in thevicinity of the device 10, and the flames are still visible throughscreens 22 provided in one or more of the sidewalls of the fire chamber16 (only screens in sidewalls 24 a-b and access door 14 are visible inthe drawings, but the back wall may also have a screen) and/or screens(three screens 25 a-c are shown in FIG. 2, a screen on the back wall ofthe lid may or may not be provided) provided in one or more of thesidewalls of the lid 12.

It is noted that the screens may have any suitable mesh size. The meshsize may depend at least to some extent on the intended use and/orcompliance with area ordinances or burning restrictions. In addition,plates may be provided (e.g., to snap in or slide into place) for useover the screens, e.g., to reduce the amount of smoke, to increase heatfor cooking, or to dampen the fire after use.

The lid 12 may be moved to the open position (shown in FIG. 2) toprovide access to the first cooking surface 20. For example, food to becooked (e.g., hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, etc.) can be placed directlyon the first cooking surface 20. Food in pots, pans, or other cookingvessels may also be placed on the first cooking surface 20. The lid 12may then be closed over the food and/or cooking vessels to increase heatfor food on the first cooking surface.

When closed, the lid 12 may also provide a second cooking surface 26above the first cooking surface 20. In an example, the second cookingsurface can be used for larger cooking utensils such as coffee pots.Because the second cooking surface 26 is farther away from the firechamber 16, the second cooking surface 26 may also be maintained at alower temperature than the first cooking surface 20, and thus issuitable for warming (e.g., warming bread or maintaining the temperatureof foods which have already been cooked).

It is noted that the access door 14 enables the user to add fuel to thefire without having to remove any of the food cooking on either of thecooking surfaces.

A cooking grate 21 is shown forming the first cooking surface 20, and acooking plate 27 is shown forming the second cooking surface 26. Thecooking grate 21 and/or cooking plate 27 can be any suitable grate, suchas but not limited to, an expanded metal cooking grate, a rounded rodcooking grate, or a flat plate with perforations. In another example,the cooking plate 27 may include a solid surface or mostly solid surface(e.g., with vents). It is noted that the grate 21 and cooking plate 27may be interchangeable between the first cooking surface 20 and thesecond cooking surface 26. That is, the cooking grate 21 may be used onthe second cooking surface 26 and/or the cooking plate 27 can be used onthe first cooking surface 20. In addition, a cooking plate and/orcooking grate may be used on both the first and second cooking surfaces.

A baffle 27′ is shown below the cooking plate 27, and may be provided inspaced apart relation to the cooking plate 27 (e.g., hanging about 1inch below the cooking plate 27). The baffle 27′ routes smoke around tothe edges of the cooking plate 27, while also retaining heat adjacentthe second cooking surface. The baffle 27′ may be solid or partiallysolid (e.g., with vents).

It is noted that other features may also be included for the fire safecamp stove and fire pit device 10. By way of illustration, and notintending to be limiting, a damper 22′ (shown partially closed in FIG. 2for purposes of illustration) may be provided on one or more side and/orin the access door 14 to the fire chamber. The damper 22′ may slide openand closed (or pull open and closed) to enable a user to regulateairflow to the fire chamber and thus increase/decrease temperature,smoke, and how fast the fire is burning. In another illustration, acontainer (not shown) may be provided in the fire chamber so that coalscan be moved closer to and/or farther away from the first cookingsurface 20. The container may be mounted in the fire chamber orpositioned in the fire chamber. The container may be removable andadjustable in height.

The fire safe camp stove and fire pit device 10 may be installed incampgrounds and parks and other areas where forest and grass fires are aconcern. The device 10 may include an anchoring mechanism. For example,the device 10 is shown in the drawings having a mounting plate 30 a-bwith openings 31 formed therethrough for anchoring on bolts set inconcrete (not shown), or anchoring in the ground with stakes (also notshown). Anchoring may be used as a security measure (e.g., so that thedevice 10 is not readily moved or removed), aids in longevity of thedevice 10 (by preventing the device from being moved about and possiblydamaged), and makes the device easier to clean (by preventing the devicefrom tipping over).

It is noted that the device 10 is not limited to any size or shape. Forexample, the device 10 may be provided in any size, such as smallerunits for backyards, larger units for individual campsites, and evenlarger units for group campsites. The device 10 may be any shape, suchas the substantially square shape shown in the drawings, or octagonal,round, or any other desired shape. In addition, the lid 12 and/or accessdoor 14 may include one or more handles 32 and 33, respectively.

It should be appreciated that the device 10 greatly reduces oraltogether eliminates sparks from being emitted to the surroundingenvironment. The device 10 also encloses the flame and retains ash anddebris, thus reducing the possibility of starting a wildfire.

FIGS. 4a-b are front and side plan views of the example device shown inFIG. 1. A lock 28 is visible on the right side (although the lock 28 maybe provided on either or both sides). In an example, the lock 34includes a link 35 on pins 36 a-b which are in turn mounted on thesidewall 24 of the fire chamber 16 and the lid 12, respectively. Thepins 36 a-b may include heads to retain the link 35 on the pins 36 a-b,such that the link 35 can slide on the pins 36 a-b without falling offof the pins 36 a-b. The lock 34 enables the lid 12 to be readily raisedand lowered, but limits a range of motion of the lid 12. That is, thelock 34 may serve as a limiter so that the lid 12 will only open toabout 90 degrees relative to the first cooking surface 20 (e.g., asshown in FIG. 2). The lock 34 may also work in conjunction with a heavyduty spring on the hinge 37. The lock 34 may also serve to hold the lid12 in place and thus prevent the lid from unintentionally closing, orslamming shut (e.g., by the wind).

It is noted that the examples shown and described are provided forpurposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting. Stillother examples are also contemplated.

1. A fire safe fire pit device, comprising: a fire chamber; a lidmovable between an open position and a closed position; and a baffleconfigured to route smoke around edges of an upper surface while alsoretaining heat adjacent the upper surface.
 2. The device of claimwherein the baffle is solid.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein thebaffle is partially solid.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the lid hasraised side walls to close over the upper surface.
 5. The device ofclaim 1, further comprising a second surface.
 6. The device of claim 1,wherein the upper surface is at a higher temperature when the lid is inthe closed position than when the lid is in the open position.
 7. Thedevice of claim 1, further comprising a mounting plate for anchoring onbolts set in concrete.
 8. The device of claim 1 further comprising amounting plate for anchoring in the ground with stakes.
 9. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the lid is moved to the closed position for campfiresto enclose any flames in the fire chamber and reduce risk of blowingdebris and ash outside of the fire chamber.
 10. A fire safe fire pitdevice, comprising: a ventilated fire chamber with access door to addfuel to the fire chamber, and at least one vertical screen on at leastone of four sides of the ventilated fire chamber; and a hinged lid toenclose flames in the fire chamber and reduce risk of blowing debris andash outside of the fire chamber.
 11. The device of claim 10, furthercomprising a baffle.
 12. The device of claim 10, wherein the baffle isbelow a horizontal screen.
 13. The device of claim 10, furthercomprising a slidable damper to control airflow in the ventilated firechamber.
 14. The device of claim 10, further comprising a mounting plateon a bottom edge of the fire chamber for anchoring the device to theground.
 15. A method comprising: providing access to a fire chamber toadd fuel for a fire; providing a hinged lid; and providing a baffle toroute smoke around edges of an upper surface while also retaining heatadjacent the upper surface.
 16. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising completely enclosing flames in the fire chamber.
 17. Themethod of claim 15, further comprising eliminating blowing debris andash outside of the fire chamber.
 18. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising anchoring the fire chamber to the ground.